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Owning and breeding designer dogs like pugs is "self-indulgent" because of the damaging genetic defects they suffer, a Conservative minister has warned.

Lord Gardiner said people should "respect animals as they are" after peers warned people are buying the animals because of celebrity social media posts and demanded the Government tell people the pets are "not cool".

Speaking in a debate in the House of Lords members warned against the unregulated breeding of dogs and cats which can result in painful health conditions.

Lord Trees said the Government must do more to explain the risks of owning genetically modified pets, while others called for stricter rules about who can breed animals and how...

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